title: Pilot study of threonine supplementation in human spasticity.
abstract: Threonine supplementation (500 mg/day) was given to 6 patients with genetic spasticity syndromes for a period of 12 months, followed by a 4-month observation period without medication. All 6 patients showed partial improvement of spasticity, intensity of knee jerks and muscle spasms without changes in true pyramidal tract signs. The improvement in motor performance, objectively measured, averaged 29% (19% in upper limbs and 42% in lower limbs). The range of overall improvement was 19--35% (7--30% for upper limbs; 25--67% for lower limbs). No toxic clinical or biochemical side effects were encountered. Thus threonine, a precursor of glycine, produced the same effect on spasticity than that previously observed with glycine. It is concluded that threonine supplementation is feasible and safe and that it deserves a controlled trial in well defined (preferably genetic) cases of spasticity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001259:Ataxia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D010243:Paralysis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D013912:Threonine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013912:Threonine